Why Me?
by HermioneTwin
Summary: ON HIATUS Step right up ladies and gents and hear the thrilling tale of the worst day of my entire life!I have the honor and horror of officially anouncing that I will have to spend an entire year with none other than the one, the only...Drraaco Malfoy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Alright, well this is my first fic ever and I'm really REALLY nervous! I'd love to hear what you think; that would definitely be appreciated! So, I really hope you like it! Thanks in advance to all you guys who R/R! Well, Enjoy!**

**Tootles, Jess**

**Disclaimer: Any characters, settings, ideas, well basically anything that you recognize from the Harry Potter series doesn't belong to me. It's all J.K's! Hey, if it was mine, I'd be on a beach in Florida right now:)**

**chapter one**

_Dear Diary,_

_Today has been the most terrible, horrible, ghastly, nauseating and any other kind of synonym you can find for the word terrible day of my entire life! Actually, any kind of synonym you can find for the word terrible wouldn't even come close to describing my utterly revolting day! Anything and everything that could have gone wrong went even worse!_

_So, shall I tell you the thrilling tale that makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs? Ugh! That means I have to relive it. Oh well, better out than keeping it bottled in until I explode._

_Well, here goes..._

Morning of the last day of summer at the Burrow:

Sunlight streamed through the curtains into Ginny Weasley's room, landing right in the middle of Hermione Granger's bed.

_I hate mornings_, Hermione Granger thought groggily, waking at the sound of a baby robin twittering it's little heart out.

"Ick!"

As she got out of her warm fuzzy bed, Hermione's foot landed right in her unfinished melted cookie dough ice cream from last night with a nasty squelching sound.

"OW!"

Jumping up from the sudden feeling of something cold, sticky and wet Hermione's head made painful contact with the rock hard, too low ceiling.

_Scratch that, _Hermione thought while hopping over to the bathroom on one foot and holding her throbbing head, _I despise mornings!_

Hermione hopped over to the bathroom sink, catching a glimpse of her dirty hair in the cracked mirror.

Hermione sighed. _Might as well take a shower,_ she thought looking down at her dripping foot.

Hermione undressed (being very careful not to get any ice cream on her white pajamas but dirtying them all the same) and hopped into the shower.

"EEK!"

The water was bloody freezing!

_Great! No more hot water! Guess it'll have to be a cold shower today. _

After slipping twice on the bar of soap and painfully landing on her side, Hermione stepped out of the shower, shivering and bruised.

_Could this day get any worse, _she thought miserably.

Of course it could.

"AHH!"

"AHH!"

Harry was in the bathroom, standing right in front of the shower wide-eyed and horrified.

After screaming her head off, Hermione made a desperate leap to snatch a towel.

She slipped and fell.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Harry stammered, covering his eyes while Hermione stiffly got up and grabbed the towel he was holding out.

"It's okay Harry," Hermione sighed, wrapping the towel around her, "just don't _ever_ mention this to another living soul." She called over her shoulder, running back to her room, leaving a very crimson-faced Harry babbling more apologies.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione dressed quickly, realizing that she was already very late for breakfast.

_Shit!_

After desperately trying to get her arm through her shirt's sleeve she ended up tearing a huge hole in it.

_Great! That was the only clean shirt I had left!_

So Hermione made her way down the Burrow's rickety steps into the kitchen with an enormous hole in her sleeve, a lump on her head, two bruises, dripping wet hair (considering she was already late, she didn't have time to fix it) and a cut on her right arm from falling in the bathroom

_Wow, all this in less than one hour. I must have beaten some kind of world record or something._

Breakfast was just as enjoyable as her morning had been.

Everyone stared at her like she had grown a second head overnight. Well, everyone except Harry, who still refused to look her.

_Can't say I blame them. Hermione thought wryly. I must be a right sight to look at!_

Molly's cooking was as excellent as ever, if not even better. Parvati and Lavender, who were staying over this summer as Ginny's guests, continuously praised Mrs. Weasly's cooking, which caused her to outdo herself even more than usual.

But, however delicious the food may be, Hermione found herself absolutely hating it that morning.

Twice, she burnt herself with her cup of coffee, she bit her tongue more than once chewing on her toast, she choked a few times on a sausage roll and somehow managed to get ketchup on her pale blue shirt _and_ spill burning hot coffee on her white skirt.

As if that wasn't enough, Ginny spilt tea all over her copy of the Daily Prophet before she even had the chance to read _one_ single bloody article.

_Why didn't I just stay in bed this morning, _Hermione wondered while going up to Ginny's room to find something decent to wear. _Oh well. Anyways, with my luck, a herd of galloping ostriches would have probably run me over in my sleep._

After pulling on a pair of light blue jeans and a black camisole that were both a bit too small, considering Ginny was a few inches shorter than her, Hermione headed outside to watch Ginny, Ron, Harry, Fred, George, Lavender and Parvati play a game of Quidditch.

_Well, at least it's a beautiful day, _Hermione thought cheerfully, looking around at the gorgeous scenery around her.

The sky was a soft baby blue, the sun shone down merrily onto the emerald green grass and the chickens were clucking away animatedly, obviously enjoying the perfect weather. There was only a slight refreshing breeze, in which the bushes and leaves danced happily.

_And not a cloud in sight, _Hermione thought happily_. Perfect conditions for Quidditch, as Ginny had pointed out._

When she got there though, she wasn't greeted with the sound of whistling brooms and cheering and booing from the opposing teams, but with loud shouts of frustration.

Apparently, there was some kind of uproar going on.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I was just saying that this is totally unfair!" Ron exclaimed.

"Harry, Ginny, Paravti and George can't ALL be against us! I mean it's four against three and...hey!" Ron suddenly stopped mid sentence and stared at Hermione as if she were the most gorgeous woman on earth.

_Well, it's not like he's never looked at me like that, I mean we _are _going out._

But something about his look gave Hermione the impression that this didn't have the tiniest thing to do with their relationship.

"Wh-What?" Hermione asked nervously as all her other friends started giving her the look too.

" Hermione! You can be on our team!" Ron exclaimed cheerfully as the other team members nodded their heads happily in agreement.

Hermione stared at them in disbelief.

"Are you _crazy_! There is no way, under _any_ circumstances that I am going to get on a _broom_ in the _air_ and actually _fly_! No way. Nuh huh. Never. Not one little chance. No no no no no no _no_!

XXXXXXXXXXXX

_I going to KILL Ron! _Hermione thought, clinging onto her broom for dear life.

_That is, if I don't die first, _she thought wryly as her broom gave a violent jolt, almost sending her flying off.

_Oh why why why why why why me? _She desperately thought, squeezing her eyes shut as a Bludger missed her head by a mere centimeter.

"Oi! Hermione!" Ron called after her."

"If you're going to catch the snitch you're going to have to keep your eyes open!"

Parvati and Lavender started giggling like mad.

_Oh Merlin give me strength, _Hermione thought, aiming the coldest glare she could muster at Ron.

He got the point and flew off, his head hung low. But Hermione didn't miss the pleased look on his face. Obviously he was proud with making the girls giggle.

_Well that's no accomplishment to be bloody _proud_ of; they're always giggling, _Hermione thought furiously.

Seething, she turned around, only to find Harry diving towards the shiny Golden Snitch.

_Crap!_

Squeezing her eyes shut, Hermione took a deep breath and plunged. Down, down, down she dove as fast as her old Shooting Star could go. No matter how terrified she was, Hermione was gaining on him, and that was the only thought that mattered in her head right now.

_Almost there, almost there,_ Hermione thought stretching her hand out as far as she could, reaching for the shiny ball, as it desperately tried to escape.

Harry turned around, a look of pure shock on his face as Hermione's hand closed around the tiny fluttering ball.

_Yes! _Hermione thought triumphantly, before crashing head first into the solid ground with a sickening _thump_.

It hadn't occurred to anyone that the first thing you should teach someone before they climb onto a broom is how to brake...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_And now, dear diary, I lie here with a lump as big as China on my head, hungry BEYOND belief, since I'm not allowed to eat, and a headache as huge as my bump, if not bigger._

_But you see dear diary, as if all this wasn't enough to make me want to jump out a window, when I woke up at half past six, something utterly, entirely and COMPLETELY horrible happened that seriously gave me thoughts of moving to Alaska._

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione woke up in pain so extraordinary, she was certain she would pass out again. Instead she merely threw up all over the floor and collapsed back onto her pillow before her head split open.

"HERMIONE!" Ginny exclaimed, rushing into her room carrying an opened letter, looking more excited than a young girl on Christmas morning.

"Ugh…Gin...don't...yell...please," Hermione managed to croak, holding her aching head.

"Sorry," Ginny muttered, quickly oblivious to the fact that Hermione felt like passing out right now.

"Read this _now_," she said excitedly, thrusting the letter onto Hermione's chest.

"Is this mine?" Hermione asked, glancing down at the letter.

"Yes, yes of course it's yours!" Ginny yelled impatiently.

"Then why, pray tell, has it been opened and read without my permission?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I...I...well you see...Harry made...I didn't want...it was an accident... OH JUST READ THE DAMN LETTER ALREADY!" Ginny snapped.

Hermione chuckled lightly before proceeding to read the letter with difficulty, as her head clearly objected.

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_I am pleased to inform you that due to your outstanding academic results and more than pleasing behavior, you have been selected to be this year's Head Girl._

Hermione squealed in delight.

_As Head Girl, we expect you to set a good example for our younger students by continuing to excel in your school subjects and behavior. You are required to patrol the corridors three nights a week with the Head Boy and you along with him and the prefects will be required to organize any social event to take place this year. The Head Boy and yourself will have the privilege of your own common room, kitchen and dorms which only very limited people may access. _

_I look forward to seeing you, and enjoy the rest of your summer vacation!_

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

"So Hermione, isn't this amazing or what!" Ginny exclaimed happily, but Hermione wasn't listening.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked worriedly as Hermione's face turned as pale as the sheet of parchment she was holding.

"Ginny," Hermione whispered weakly, " did you read the other side?"

"No," Ginny answered confused, "I ran in here to tell you the good news. Why?"

"The Head Boy is...is...Draco Malfoy," Hermione whispered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

_And thus I jumped out the window. _

**A/N: Well there you have it, first chapter! Hope you liked it! Oh, and just so there's no confusion she didn't ACTUALLY jump out the window, I was just kidding. So, please R/R! That would make me sooo happy! I'd even do a little happy dance! Thank you so much for reading, I'll update soon! Tootles, Jess :-)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from J.K Rowling's amazing books. I'm just having fun with it!**

**A/N: All right, well here we go, chapter 2! Enjoy! Oh, and promise that things will get more interesting in the next chapter! Jess :-)**

Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy was, to put it lightly, incredibly pissed off.

Lying in his enormous king sized bed at Malfoy Manor, Draco had received the surprising news that he was selected as Head Boy.

At first, of course, he was very pleased. His father was going to be thrilled…well maybe thrilled is a bit… strong of a word, but he would be proud.

Well, that is, he was pleased until he turned the letter over.

Granger.

The Head Girl was Granger.

HERMIONE Granger.

He would have to spend an ENTIRE year in the same common room as that annoying little know-it-all.

_If this isn't hell than what is?_ He thought after reading the letter over for the nineteenth time.

At first, he thought of resigning the post. I mean Head Boy…what's so great about that? You get tons of extra responsibilities, you have to do rounds THREE nights a week AND you have to organize every single event that crosses Dumbledore's silly mind.

The only good thing about it is that you get your own common room. But seriously, if he had to share that with Granger, there wasn't one tiny little thing that was good about being Head Boy.

Yes, resigning did sound quite appealing.

That is, until he realized what that meant. Granger would win. He would be giving in to her. Resigning would mean that he was backing down, giving up. And basically there was NO way that a Malfoy would ever give in to some insignificant little mud blood like Granger. No way. He would just have to deal with it…and dealing with it meant being in hell for next ten months of his life.

_Great. Just great._

On the plus side though, tormenting her WAS always one of his favorite hobbies. Well, her and Potty and Weasel that is.

This way he would get to annoy the shit out of her 24/7.

It was a very tiny plus side, but considering the conditions, it was the only plus side Draco could find.

That, and worst comes to worst he could just ignore her.

"DRACO!" Lucius shouted from a good three floors below.

"WHAT?" Draco yelled back, sounding a little more irritating than he would have liked.

"Come down here this INSTINT!"

_Crap!_

Lucius was obviously pissed off by something, and Draco didn't especially care to find out what it was (he had a sneaking suspicion that this was somehow connected to him; as everything bad that happened in this house usually was according to his father.)

Sighing he stomped his way down the three floors separating his room from the dining room, opening the door silently and waiting for permission to enter.

"You may come in son," Lucius' voice echoed menacingly around the enormous dining room, placing special disgusted emphasis on the word "son".

"You called?" Draco asked sounding somewhat nervous.

"Why aren't they dead yet?" Lucius demanded in a dangerously calm voice, not even bothering to look up from his copy of the Daily Prophet.

Draco didn't need to ask what he was talking about; he knew perfectly well why his father was in such a foul mood.

Draco was set the task of killing this muggle family that lived four houses down from their manor. The Smuts or the Smiths or something like that. Killing a muggle family was tradition when becoming a Death Eater.

Oh yes, Draco was a Death Eater.

It hadn't been his choice, really. Basically, his father had dragged him along with him to one of their meetings and forced him to get the mark. Now he was obliged to do whatever the Dark Lord asked of him, and killing this muggle family was one of those things.

He HAD meant to do it, he really had, it's just that when he got to the house, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

**Flashback**

_Golden sunrays were shining down the tiny street of Malfoy Manor making the grass sparkle with tiny dew drop diamonds, providing a gorgeous sunrise for all early risers._

_Birds were singing, bees were buzzing, critters were waking up from their nighttime nap, or going to sleep, exhausted from their night of hunting._

_Distant laughing could be heard down the narrow street, as well as a couple of cars starting their engines to drive off to a long hard day of work._

_To any onlookers the mere sight of such a perfect morning would make them instantly relax and feel completely at peace with the world._

_Anyone, that is, except Draco Malfoy._

_Draco was striding down the little street, a look of complete determination set on his pointed face, his hand tightly clutching his wand._

_They're just insignificant muggles! Draco kept telling himself, desperately trying to stay in focus._

_They mean nothing, nothing! They aren't even worthy of living on the same street as me!_

_But no matter how hard Draco tried to convince himself, he knew he wasn't up to it. Calling people names, and casting silly little hexes to annoy them was one thing, but to actually kill…Draco knew deep down he wasn't that bad. He wasn't the heartless man his father was; no matter how hard he'd tried. He actually had a conscience…and a heart that wasn't made of stone._

_Killing was wrong, and he knew it. Merlin he knew it._

_But this is the Dark Lord we're talking about. He couldn't just disobey him! He'd have his life to pay. And he was a coward; he'd always been a coward._

_No matter how much Draco told himself this was wrong, he had to do it, he had no choice. He had to save his own skin…_

_Third…forth… there it was. The house whose family he was going to murder. _

_It was pretty plain looking. A medium sized house all made of orangey red bricks. Two windows were set on each side of the plain white door, both beholding pots of pure white tulips. A neat little driving came out from a tiny garage, just wide enough to hold two cars, lined with many white rose bushes. A miniature pool could be seen from the back of the house, just large enough to hold three toddlers at most._

_But the house wasn't what caught Draco's eye._

_A little girl, not more than five was standing in front of a tiny garden filled with assorted white and red flowers. She looked so innocent, so pure in her little blue sundress matching her beautiful soft blue eyes with blond curls cascading down her shoulders. _

"_Hello," She said hesitantly, walking over to meet Draco with a pure white rose in her little delicate hands._

"_Are you a friend of my father's?" She asked softly, her blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight as she looked up at Draco with a questioning gaze._

"_You could say that I suppose," Draco croaked back in hardly more than a whisper. His throat seemed to be closing up and he was going weak at the knees; he could never murder this innocent little girl._

"_Oh!" The girl exclaimed, her tiny face instantly brightening up._

"_Well in that case here," she said handing him the white rose. "I'll go get him for you!" she exclaimed before skipping off to go find her father, her blond curls dancing behind her._

_So, Draco did the only thing he could think of, he ran for it, holding on tightly to the delicate white rose between his pale fingers._

**End of Flashback**

"Um…I…I…" Draco stuttered, desperately trying to come up with a good excuse.

His father sighed.

"No matter," he said with an air of boredom on his pointed face. "I did it for you, but next time Draco, do remember that I won't always be there to save your sorry ass. The Dark Lord doesn't tolerate cowards Draco, and I won't either for much longer. You may go now." Lucius excused him with a wave of his jewel-encrusted hand.

Draco ran up to his bedroom, taking two steps at a time, rushed over to his library and pulled out his favorite book; Hogwarts a History.

He carefully took out a pure white dried up rose between two of his favorite pages and sat on the edge of his bed, staring out his open window.

_She was gone…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be, never has been. Depressing isn't it?**

**A/N: Hey everyone! Well I hope you enjoyed the last two chapters! Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed! Oh, and special thanks to mistinthenight who was my first reviewer ever! Thanks to her I finally got to do my happy dance! (Although, I do think I managed to scare the b'Jesus out of the dog!) **

**Enjoy! Jess :-)**

**Chapter Three**

_Sigh! Here at last!_

Hermione was sitting comfortably on the Hogwart's express in one of the four mushy red leather seats, feeling incredibly happy and content with herself and at peace with the world. After getting over the initial shock of having to spend an _entire_ year in the presence of Draco Malfoy, Hermione came to the conclusion that, all things considered, things _could_ have been much worse than this.

_I mean, when you really think about it, I get my own common room, my own kitchen, my own dormitory, my own compartment,_ she thought fondly looking around at her private compartment, _AND I get to organize this year's balls. _ What else could she ask for? Life was perfect!

Weeell…that's not completely true.

In a perfect world, Hermione wouldn't have to share all this luxury with the arrogant, annoying, smirking and oh so hateful Malfoy.

_But hey, things could be worse…right?_

WRONG!

Little did poor innocent Hermione know that in just a few seconds, her perfect bubble of happiness would be savagely popped by the approaching Slytherin prince himself.

Looking up at the sudden interrupting noise of the compartment doors sliding open, Hermione found herself in the sudden presence of the sneering Slytherin himself towering over her due to her sitting state. Luckily, Hermione wasn't one to be intimidated.

"Malfoy," Hermione acknowledged politely, giving a nod to her fellow Head Boy as he sat down lazily in the seat facing her.

If she was going to spend a whole year with him, the least she could do to was at least _try_ to be polite.

"Oh seriously annoying and bossy bookworm one," Malfoy responded giving her a mock bow.

_Annnd…POP!_

_So much for being polite._

"So I see you've matured over the summer," Hermione responded dryly. "Ever heard of a little thing called _manners?_" she asked emphasizing the last word.

Malfoy scratched his head mockingly, apparently in deep thought.

"Mmmm…nope, can't say that I have. But I'll look it up and get back to you on that one. Sounds familiar…mmaaannersssss….huh, maybe some kind of Spanish, no, Greek word. Yah, probably Greek, sounds Greek-ish, mmmmaaaaaa… "

"Alright, alright I get it!" Hermione shouted heatedly, since Malfoy obviously wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon.

"My, my Granger! Aren't you the jolly one this morning!" Malfoy responded, smirking madly.

Granger's expression was priceless.

"I'll have you know I was plenty _jolly_ before you got here!" Hermione shouted back. She could practically _feel _her blood starting to boil.

_For goodness sake Hermione calm down! _Hermione thought, desperately trying to not let her fury show. (Although failing spectacularly.)

_You're just inflating that already over inflated head of his! If you don't calm down soon it'll explode…not that that would be such a bad thing actually…_

"Alright then Malfoy," Hermione said in a tone of complete indifference, "have it your way. Since you obviously choose to act as the arrogant git you have always been, and always will be, and not even _try _to be even _remotely_ tolerable, then I am forced to ignore you."

"Aw but that's no fun!" Malfoy answered in a tone of sarcastic disappointment while sticking out his lower lip. "No annoying little know-it-all to breath down my neck during this oh so awe-inspiring train ride! But, how _will_ I occupy myself?"

_Keep calm, stay cool, don't blow up…_

"And to think that _I'm_ the one who finally managed to shut her up!"

Malfoy was clearly enjoying this.

"All those years of hexing, insulting, telling her to shut her bloody trap before I blew it off and _I did it_!"

_Don't blow up, don't blow up, stay calm…_

"Hah! I Malfoy the magnificent have silenced the beast! Why, I could practically become a lion tamer! I say, next to this monstrous creature a lion would seem like a mere kitten!"

**_STAY CALM…_**

"Malfoy the lion tamer, no, Malfoy the lion slaughterer, no, wait, Malfoy the destroyer of incredibly exasperating, know-it-all, revolting, nauseating, filthy, stomach-churning, bushy-haired, sickening…

**BANG!**

At that moment, Malfoy learned an important lesson; NEVER anger Hermione Granger.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Oh God, oh God, oh God, **oh God**! 

Sitting on the edge of the pure white sheets that lay neatly on the furthest bed in the corner of the hospital wing, Hermione Granger was going crazy.

She had made Draco Malfoy pass out! PASS OUT!

_Well serves him right!_ A little voice in the back of her head argued with the ongoing guilt-trip her conscience had been causing for the previous hour.

_He just had to shut his bloody mouth up! _

Malfoy had simply pulled the last straw. After insulting Hermione with every adjective under the sun that meant something even remotely close to the words disgusting or annoying, Hermione had just lost it.

She didn't even remember what spell she had used on him; only that knowing her state of mind at the time…well…it must have hurt…big time.

And now the result was this: An insane Hermione and an unconscious Slytherin.

Luckily, Dumbledore hadn't expelled Hermione. He seemed to find the whole thing rather amusing actually.

Hermione was beginning to suspect the old man really was starting to lose his marbles.

McGonagal, on the other hand, had been furious! She practically had a fit at Hermione when she found Malfoy lying unconscious at Hermione's feet (who, stupidly enough, hadn't bothered to lower her wand on the unconscious body as the teacher entered the compartment.) As a result, she had given Hermione, along with Malfoy, a week's worth of detention.

A whole bloody week!

Hermione almost grew faint every time she thought of how much homework time that meant giving up.

Let's just say that a few of Ron's…umm…_colorful_ adjectives had been frequently used on McGonagal in Hermione's head in the past hour or two.

Hermione stared down at the pale unconscious blond beside her. He looked so… peaceful like that. His hair wasn't gelled back as it had been back in first and second year. He simply let it hang lazily around his pointed face, occasionally brushing it away from his steel gray eyes. His complexion was as pale as freshly fallen snow, yet somehow, seeing him lying there so peacefully kind of gave him an angelic glow and not a ghostly, menacing expression as she was accustomed of seeing.

Hermione was so lost in studying Malfoy's face that she hardly even realized when he began to stir.

His face didn't scrunch up in pain as she had expected, he only emitted a soft groan before slowly opening his eyes.

Silver met hazel.

Hermione could have sworn that she saw a flicker of, what was it? Relief maybe, warmth glaze over those silver pools.

For a moment she actually thought that he might not remember what had happened on the train, that somehow the impact of falling on his head could have caused him to forget about it.

That moment didn't last long.

"GRANGER!"

Shit.

_WHY oh why didn't I obliviate him?_

"What the hell am I doing in the hospital wing and what the bloody hell are _you_, of all people, doing here?"

Hermione stared.

Comprehension slowly dawned on her.

_Yes! Yes! YES! He doesn't remember, he doesn't remember, he doe…_

"Ah Mr.Malfoy, I see you're up!" Madame Pomfrey said, walking out of her office with a tray of assorted potions in her hands, unknowingly interrupting Hermione's little private song of triumph.

"Good. Ms.Granger certainly gave us quite the fright, what with not even knowing what hex she used and all." Madame Pomfrey said, bustling over a shelf of potions and giving Hermione a sharp look.

Malfoy stared at her in disbelief.

_ WHAT? Oh no no no no NO! Shut up, shut up, shut up you evil little bi… _

"No matter," Madame Pomfrey continued, "judging by your previous tone of voice and your complexion you seem to be perfectly fine to me," she said giving Malfoy a good hard look and an approving nod. "Well then I'll leave you two at it, I do have other things to do than tend over healthy patients you know. You may go whenever you please," she said, and with that she was off, not having the slightest clue of the incredible mess she had just created for poor Hermione.

Malfoy glared the coldest glare he had ever accomplished at Hermione and opened his mouth…

"GRA…"

"See ya!"

And Hermione was out the door.

She ran as fast as her legs could possibly carry her all the way to her common room, never stopping once. She could hear Malfoy's footsteps pounding right behind her.

_Damn. You would think that being unconscious for two bloody hours might have slowed him down but no…_

Hermione was getting a cramp in her side and she desperately wanted to fling herself to the floor before her heart exploded, but the common room was almost within her reach…

Almost there, almost there…almost there……FINALLY! 

Having managed to get to the portrait hole without her lungs bursting, Hermione stood before the ancient oil painting, panting like mad.

"Password?" asked a friendly looking witch in her mid thirties, sitting neatly on the edge of a bubbling black cauldron. Hermione took a moment to examine her. Looking closely Hermione could just make out the fine outline of a faint heart shaped tattoo on the young witch's pale cheek. She wore a plain black pointed hat over her pitch black curly hair and a long black robe flowed gracefully around her slender figure. Pretty much the traditional muggle styled witch actually, apart from her sparkly pink stilettos. (Hermione suspected her to have been a performer.)

_Password, password…oh what's the password? _Hermione thought desperately, racking her mind for any memory at all of the password that had been written so neatly on her Hogwart's letter.

"Uhh…Umm…"

"Flobberworm" came a low threateningly calm voice from behind.

Hermione froze.

"Correct!" said the young witch brightly, as her portrait swung open.

Hermione slowly made her way through the narrow portrait hole, not even bothering to take in her surroundings as she stepped into her new home for the school year. She was just silently praying to God and Jesus and any other good that there is on this earth that she would somehow live to see breakfast again.

3…2…1…

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME? WHO DO YOU BLOODY THINK YOU ARE? YOU HEXED ME? YOU ACTUALLY HEXED ME? TO THE POINT OF ME PASSING OUT! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING? 

"I…I…" Hermione started lamely.

Malfoy's glare was murderous.

"Well you deserved it!" Hermione yelled back, somehow finding some much needed Gryffindor courage. "I _was_ going to be polite to you before you bloody started insulting me as always! You know what Malfoy? I've had it with you! You and your sick theory that anyone who's anything less than a pureblood is scum! It's ridiculous! And you're just a stupid pathetic idiot for believing it!"

"Oh I'm the idiot am I?" Malfoy responded furiously.

"You're damn right you are!" Hermione shouted back.

"Well then try this on for size!" Malfoy yelled back with venom in his eyes.

"You think that you're so clever, strutting around the school, your nose in the air…"

"I do not…"

"Shut up! I said, you think you're so clever, strutting around the school, your nose in the air with those two moronic egotistical fat-heads guarding you like bodyguards, but did you ever consider that you may be just as much an idiot as you accuse me of being?"

"I am not…"

"I SAID SHUT UP! Malfoy shouted back, loud enough to make Hermione shut her mouth at once.

"You have just as much prejudice as I do! From day one you had me labeled as a heartless bastard since my father is. Did you ever consider I just may not be like him? Of course I teased you, you're in Gryffindor for crying out loud! I'm a Slytherin, it's nature's law for Merlin's sake! But I wouldn't have been half as bad if you and your bloody friends hadn't done everything in your power to get a jab at me whenever you could! Of course I did the same to you! Do you expect me to let you bloody push me around like some pathetic coward? And did you ever notice I don't call you mud-blood anymore? I dropped that. Because you're right, it is ridiculous to think that anyone who has a drop of muggle blood flowing through their veins is below me, and I'm sorry if I ever let my father convince me otherwise! Cause guess what? I actually have a heart! I'm not my father! I'M NOT HIM!" Malfoy yelled in a voice that almost made Hermione cower down in fright.

Nor will I ever be." He finished in nothing more than a whisper before turning on his heel and running upstairs to his dormitory.

Hermione sighed before plopping down onto the soft carpet beneath her feet and stared into the fiery red flames dancing before her bewildered eyes.

_What have I done…_

**A/N: Well hope you liked it! Chappie 4 should be up soon…I hope! Reviews make me smile! Tootles! Jess :-)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All characters, ideas, settings…well basically all of it belongs to the wonderful J.K Rowling. Also, the song For You I Will (Confidence) belongs to Teddy Geiger and other various rich people. Sad isn't it?**

**A/N: Okay guys, here it is, chapter 4! Really hope you like it! I have at least a thousand ideas for chapter 5, so it shouldn't be too long before I update. Many, many thanks to all those who read and review! I just love you guys! **

**Well, enjoy! Jess:)**

Chapter 4 

_Ugh! Where is he? _Hermione thought frantically.

Wandering the school grounds at 6:00 in the morning Hermione was starting to get slightly irritated.

No, wait…actually incredibly pissed off was more like it! (As you may recall, Hermione didn't exactly…uhh…_adore_ mornings.)

She had hardly slept a wink all night, her feet were killing her and basically Hermione would rather be in an elephant's urinal right now than be up this early! Not that there is such a thing as an elephant's urinal… but that's beside the point.

So, the reason for her insane behavior, her aching feet, her pissed mood and her drooping eyelids…why, none other than Malfoy of course!

Don't ask why, but after Malfoy's little speech last night, Hermione had found herself feeling very, very guilty. Which, in her opinion, was absolutely ludicrous.

This was Malfoy!

Draco insufferable, egotistical, stuck-up git Malfoy!

She shouldn't feel guilt, or worry or pity or anything at all for that matter that wasn't even close to pure and complete hate for that bloody prick.

So why oh why was she wandering the grounds at 6:00 bloody o'clock in the morning to apologize to that idiot was _beyond_ her.

_Well,_ she reasoned, _he did have a good point last night, I have always labeled him as a daddy's boy. _

_But he never did anything to prove you wrong did he? _The other half of her conscience argued back.

_If anything, he's even worse than what you thought him to be originally! _

But, point is, you **were** prejudiced even if he **is** exactly as you thought he would be. You have no right to go around labeling people, and for that you should apologize to him!

_Of course he wasn't completely right in what he had claimed last night either_.

_Granted, maybe he isn't exactly like his father, as popular belief would have it, maybe he actually really **does** have a heart and maybe he doesn't actually intend to become a Death Eater but even though she was a Gryffindor and he a Slytherin doesn't make it natural to argue! Maybe to him it is, but personally, I find this whole house rivalry thing preposterous!_

And for that reason alone Hermione started to wonder for the 100th time why in the name of Merlin she was trying to find Malfoy at six bloody o'clock in the morning to apologize! If anything, _he _was the one who should be apologizing to _her_!

_But, he **wasn't** lying, _the little voice in the back of her head continued on, _he **has **stopped calling you mudblood. That alone should be reason enough to think that he may have possibly changed over the summer and somehow deserve an apology. After all, you **did** hex him!_

_But on the other hand…_

_Oh enough! _Hermione scolded herself inwardly.

_This is ridiculous!_

_I'm just going to go to him and say that I'm sorry for hexing him and THAT'S IT! Nothing more, nothing less. That is, if I can ever find him before my feet burst into flame… _she thought desperately, limping towards the lake's murky shimmering water.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Oh I swear, when this is finally over with I am going to soak my feet in the tub for a whole bloody week, no, even better a month! _Hermione thought miserably rubbing her aching feet.

_I swear I won't come out for…wait, what was that? _

Hermione instantly froze and perked up her ears.

Soft music.

Someone was playing the guitar by the side of the lake.

_Who in their right bloody minds would be up at this hour to serenade the pigeons?_ Hermione thought incredulously, striding over to the lake to meet the insane player.

Getting closer, Hermione could just start to make out someone's voice.

A soft, angelic, gorgeous voice.

The mere sound of this person's voice filled Hermione with serenity, tranquility and warmth. It flowed over every note, savoring it, caressing it, giving life to the song. It took every shred of will power Hermione possessed to not run up to the voice's source and beg him to never stop his beautiful serenade. Listening closely, Hermione could just start to make out words…

_Wondering the streets, in a world underneath it all  
Nothing seems to be, nothing tastes as sweet  
As what I can't have  
Like you and the way that you're twisting your hair  
round your finger  
Tonight I'm not afraid to tell you  
What I feel about you._

Hermione tiptoed over to a huge boulder and crouched down low behind it to hear her archangel sing better. She didn't dare steal a glance yet; for fear that he may see her and stop…

_I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
and cannon ball into the water  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will  
For you I will_

Hermione closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. He sang like an angel…

_Forgive me if I stutter  
From all of the clutter in my head  
Cuz I could fall asleep in those eyes  
Like a water bed  
Do I seem familiar, I've crossed you in hallways  
a thousand times, no more camouflage  
I want to be exposed, and not be afraid to fall._

_I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
And cannon ball into the water  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will  
You always want what you can't have  
But I've got to try  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will  
For you I will  
For you I will  
For you_

She couldn't take it anymore. Chills were running up and down her spine sending thousands of goose bumps prickling over her entire skin. She had to find out whose heavenly voice that was…

_If I could dim the lights in the mall  
And create a mood I would  
Shout out your name so it echos in every room  
I would_

_That's what I'd do, That's what I'd do, to get through to you_

Hermione inhaled deeply and crept to the edge of her hideaway and peered around the corner…

_I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
And cannon ball into the water  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will  
You always want what you can't have  
But I've got to try  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will  
For you I will  
For you I will  
For you I wil_

A boy, hunched over a guitar sitting on the edge of a giant boulder was staring out into the lake's misty pools, his eyes glazed over as if in deep thought.

If Hermione had taken the time, however, to look closer into her, supposedly, angel's glazed eyes, she would've perhaps noticed that it wasn't thought that was consuming his troubled mind, but pain, deep mental pain.

Sadly though, only one thing caught Hermione's eye as she peered subtly around the enormous stone…shockingly blond hair.

Malfoy.

Hermione turned on her heel and strode as quickly as her exhausted legs could possibly carry her all the way to the enormous oak doors, her heart pounding furiously against her rib cage.

_Malfoy _Hermione thought incredulously, unconsciously running her hands through her bushy hair, _that voice that sent me on cloud nine, that made my heart soar and let my soul take flight, belonged to **Malfoy**. _

_That's it! I've officially gone insane! I must be seeing things. _Hermione tried to convince herself, _a purple hippopotamus with wings sprouting out of its head would have been more believable than Malfoy for goodness sake! _

And yet, Hermione knew that it had been him. Who else could it possibly be? There was no mistaking that bleach blond head anywhere. She could easily pick it out of a line up, even after drinking two whole bottles of vodka and a dozen shots of tequila.

Yes, the fact was, it had been **Draco Malfoy **that had sent chills running like wild fire through her entire body, that had made her skin tingle and her hands tremble and that had made her heart pound like mad simply by singing an innocent little song.

But, strangely enough, it didn't really bother her that she had been _that_ taken by Malfoy's voice.

_Honestly, _Hermione thought trying to reason with her confused brain, _anyone with **ears**__would have gone crazy over that voice! Lavender and Parvati would be at Malfoy's feet by now! _She thought shaking her head, sending her wild curls flying everywhere.

_Well, at least he didn't see me. _Hermione thought optimistically. _I would've **never** heard the end of it!_

Hermione shut her eyes tightly and breathed in deeply, counting up to four with each breath, trying to steady her rushing thoughts for a few seconds.

_I just didn't know he had it in him I guess…I mean, to sing something so romantic so passionate, and just so lovingly and intensely, like he **really** meant it you know._

Hermione sighed.

_Well, one more reason to think that he really may have changed, that there **somehow** may be **some**_ good in him and make my apology a bit less insane…

_DAMN IT! My apology! _Hermione thought furiously.

_I look all **bloody **morning until there's a **thousand** blisters on my feet to find him and when I finally_ _do I freaking walk away! I cannot believe you! _She thought enraged.

So, fuming and breathing heavily Hermione turned on her heel to storm down the three flights of steps that she had managed to climb, _for nothing_, she thought wryly, and stomped her way back to the giant oak doors.

She never did get back to the lake though.

Once she had climbed down the very last agonizing step of that never-ending damned stairway and somehow gotten to the first floor, she heard something that made her instantly halt.

Someone was giggling like mad from inside the tiny broom closet next to the boy's bathroom.

Hermione sighed in exasperation, rubbing her temples furiously. There was no mistaken that giggle.

_Obviously, Lavender's found a new prey! _Hermione thought dryly, striding over to the ancient, miniscule closet and grabbing the little rusty handle.

_I cannot believe that girl! Doesn't she ever give it a rest?_ She sighed yanking open the old wooden door.

"Alright Lavender, whose your knight in shining armor this…"

All color drained out of Hermione's face.

No. It can't be. It just can't be… 

"Ron…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: Dum dum duh! Hah! I love cliffies! So, what did you think? Hope you guys liked it! Promise next chapter should be posted soon! (you know that vodka and tequila I mentioned…well, let's just say that I plan for them to make a little… appearance in chapter 5… ) -grins evilly and rubs hands together- Well, you'll just have to read and find out! Please tell me what you think, I've now perfected my happy-dance and cannot wait to try it out (hopefully I won't traumatize the dog this time!) Special thanks to Apple-Sours and Iceblinkwolf for the encouraging reviews! You guys really made my day! Hope you continue to like the story, I wouldn't want to disappoint you! Thanks so much once more!**

**Well, ta ta for now! Jess :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Let's just think about it for a sec shall we? If I _really_ owned Harry Potter, do you think I would _really_ be wearing socks with _humongous_ holes in them and eating noodles from a box while posting on a fanfiction site? Hmm…your call. :)**

**A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for the oh so loooong wait for chapter 5! It just took me _forever _to write something that wasn't just plain _horrendous! _–mumbles- _stupid writer's block…_**

**Anywho, here it finally is! **

**Well, enjoy my sweets! Much love,**

**Jess :)**

Chapter 5

_Oh no, no, no, no, NO!_

_This is so not happening!_

Contrary to what Hermione had believed, Malfoy actually _had_ seen her walk away after his little serenade.

In fact, he hadn't really seen _her_ as much as he had seen a girl with a huge mop of wild bushy curls stalking away towards the castle at full speed, Gryffindor robes flowing behind her. But, honestly, even if he hadn't actually seen her face, there was no mistaking that girl. Simply by the way she walked, her chin held up high, back straight, perfect posture, swishing brown curls… even _Gowl _couldn't mistake her. Basically, if that wasn't Hermione Granger than the bookworm was actually so smart that she had found a way to clone herself. So… bottom line in Malfoy's opinion:

_I'm screwed._

There was no doubt in his mind that that irritating little know-it-all would go blabbing to the entire school about his little song. With the speed that rumors flew through Hogwarts, he'd be thought as soft and mushy as Barney by tomorrow morning at the very latest.

His entire reputation was going to be completely and totally destroyed, pulverized, ruined, smashed, pound into mince meat, you name it…that is, if he didn't find her first…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After wandering the grounds, the innumerable halls, the Great Hall, the library, well basically every square inch of Hogwarts that the bookworm had ever set foot on for two agonizing hours, he finally realized where she would be hiding. It was so painfully obvious he almost hit himself in the face for not having thought about it sooner.

The Head's room of course.

After beating himself up mentally for a few more minutes, he quickly began to make his way up the numerous staircases he had to climb in order to find the girl in question and obliviate her like there was no tomorrow.

"Finally," he panted having reached the portrait of the young witch after climbing the countless excruciating steps.

"Password," she asked, frowning slightly at Draco's disheveled appearance but smiling brightly all the same.

"Th-thestrals," he panted, bending over and clutching a stitch in his side.

"Correct!" She answered cheerfully, swinging open to reveal the dimly lit common room.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

The curtains were drawn, the windows were closed and the fire was crackling feebly, giving the room a most unpleasant and depressing gloom.

Draco stepped inside, discreetly shutting the portrait door behind him. If Granger was here, and he highly suspected that she was, unless she had the capacity to vanish into thin air that is, he didn't want her to be aware of his presence. Not just yet anyways. She would be much easier to disarm with the advantage of surprise.

_Where is she?_ He thought confusedly, looking around the apparently deserted common room for any sign of that wild mane of unruly curls.

And that's when he heard it.

Silent sobs were echoing from the farthest corner of the room, cries so utterly sad and defeated that Draco's blood almost froze in his veins as he turned to locate the source of the heart-wrenching cries.

There she was, huddled up, a broken angel, sitting on the cold stone floor, arms wrapped around her knees, her face hidden beneath her mass of curls and leaning limply against her arms, shaking with almost silent tears.

All pretence of obliviating the poor girl quickly vanished from Draco's mind, only to be replaced by a heart shattering feeling of pity and sadness for the broken and defeated girl pouring her heart out before him.

_Get a grip man! _He scolded himself mentally, as an overwhelming urge to go over to Hermione and take her in his arms to cease her tears took over him.

_This is Granger, Granger! She's probably just crying her heart out because she got a 95 for our potions essay or something…_He tried to convince himself lamely.

He sighed and composed himself as best as he could, setting a stone mask over his saddened features before taking a deep breath, preparing his lazy drawl.

"What the hell is your problem?" He asked coldly, glaring down at Hermione's trembling figure.

She froze.

Of all the people on earth Malfoy was definitely the last person she would ever have wanted to find her in a state like this.

She looked up slowly, not even bothering to wipe her tear streaked face or move the hair that clung to her dried tears out of the way.

Malfoy's breath caught in his throat.

Her eyes. Her eyes were so incredibly miserable, so heartbreaking, so despairingly broken, his heart nearly shattered just by looking at them.

"What happened?" He asked breathlessly, inwardly kicking himself fiercely for the less than unfriendly question.

Hermione didn't seem to notice though. Or maybe she was just too consumed by grief to care, because seconds later she burst into tears once more, oblivious to the fact that it was Draco Malfoy that was standing before her.

Draco walked over to her shaking form and sat down beside the trembling girl.

"Granger what happened to you?" He asked again a bit more forcefully, but gently all the same.

Hermione took a great shuddering breath before lifting her head off of her knees and staring at Malfoy with those desperate eyes.

She gulped.

"I-It w-was R-R-Ron. I w-was l-l-looking for y-you a-a-and…f-found R-Ron…

i-i-in c-c-closet…L-L-Lavender…h-h-him a-and h-h-her… th-they w-were…th-they

w-were…

But Hermione had lost all capacity of speech and was overtook by another fit of sobs so intense she could hardly keep herself from full out wailing.

"Weasley cheated on you?" Malfoy said incredulously. He had always known that that weasel was a git, but loyalty was always one of the few qualities that he had been obliged to give that bastard. Had he really been enough of an idiot to cheat on his girl friend?

Hermione bit her trembling lip and nodded her head feebly before throwing herself

full-out into Malfoy's arms, overtook by another fit of sobs.

Now, in normal circumstances, I'm sure you will all agree, Malfoy's first reaction to this unforgivable act of being in such close contact with the snotty, know-it-all, bossy and

oh-so-smart that it's annoying witch that was Hermione Granger, would have without a doubt been:

A: Push her away

B: hex her

C: insult her

D: all of the above…plus C a couple more times.

But, unfortunately, there was just one little problem with that.

When poor, little, heart-broken Hermione had thrown herself into the unsuspecting arms of Draco Malfoy in desperate need of some form of comfort, she had forgotten one tiny little detail:

Humans need air.

"Gra-Granger!" Malfoy croaked over Hermione's shrill sobs.

But Hermione was so lost in her own little world of heart-break that she never even heard a syllable of what Malfoy was so desperately trying to tell her.

_Or maybe she has heard me, but she's just enjoying some kind of sick satisfaction of choking me…_

"Granger!" He managed again.

Nothing.

"GRANGER!" He yelled with all his might, just as consciousness was starting to slip away.

Hermione pulled back in alarm.

"What?" She asked, fear flitting across her watery eyes as she spotted Malfoy's rather blue-ish complexion.

"You nearly choked me to death." Malfoy whispered hoarsely, gently rubbing his neck to get the circulation going once more.

Hermione clamped a hand to her mouth with a silent squeak of terror, eyes rounder than a golf ball.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry!" She gasped.

"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

At least a dozen good retorts flew through Malfoy's mind at that moment, but seeing that Hermione really did seem to be honestly worried, and considering that she had probably had enough turmoil in one day, he decided to settle for a simple, "I'm fine."

Hermione, now being reassured that she hadn't just murdered him, slumped back against the wall with a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, looking down at her feet. "I'm just being ridiculous." She whispered, shaking her head.

"You're damn right you're being ridiculous!" Malfoy shouted.

Hermione turned to him, more tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"Weasley's an absolute ass! You're much better off without that bloody bastard!"

Hermione giggled softly.

"Thanks Malfoy," she said quietly, looking up into his eyes.

"You're welcome," he said awkwardly.

They both sat in uncomfortable silence for what seemed like ages. Draco was just about to get up and go to bed when he was hit by a complete and utter stroke of genius.

"Hey Granger?" He asked innocently.

"Yeah?" She asked turning around to face her co-Head.

"You know what might cheer you up?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"DRAAAAAAAAAAAAACO!"

"WHAT?" Malfoy yelled back in alarm, stumbling his way down the flight of stairs that led to his dorm in search of the witch whose desperate cry had just very much freaked him out.

"WHAT IS IT HERMIONE?" He repeated, as he got no answer from her the first time.

A detail that you would all do good to remember for future reference: When you've consumed just as much alcohol as Malfoy had, you should NOT, under any circumstances, try to run down a flight of very steep stairs juggling five liquor bottles, while focusing your eyes on anything else BUT the stairs.

"HERMIO-AHH!"

"BANG!"

"SON OF A FUCKING BITCH!"

"Whatdidyoudo?" Hermione slurred drunkenly, running over to the foot of the staircase and looking down at Malfoy's pissed form confusedly.

"I fell." Malfoy replied bluntly.

"Oh."

"What did you want?" Malfoy asked, getting up and rubbing his bruised head.

"Where did you put the things?" Hermione asked while lifting up the couch's cushions and peering underneath.

"What things" Malfoy asked frowning.

"You know, the _things_." She repeated, now throwing her jacket and Malfoy's robes to the floor in attempt to search the couch better.

"What _things?_" Malfoy asked yet again.

"You know, the glass thingys with the prickly stuff in it?" She managed to muffle out, head now being completely underneath the carpet.

"Oh, you mean the Fire Whiskey!" Malfoy exclaimed, happy that he had finally figured it out.

"Yeah, yeah that stuff." She said looking around expectantly.

"Table." He said simply, pointing to the intricately carved wooden table that stood a few feet away from the old fireplace, almost overflowing with empty alcohol bottles.

"Thanks!" She exclaimed, rushing over to grab another bottle.

"You know Granger, I really think that you've had enough." Malfoy said, striding over to meet Hermione…okay more like _stumbling. _

"No I haven't." Hermione replied taking an enormous swing from her freshly opened bottle of Fire Whiskey.

"Oh yes you have, you're drunk!" He shouted accusatorily.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione shouted, shaking her head a bit harder than was necessary and falling over in the process.

"I am _totally_ and _completely_, 100 sob…MALFOY LOOK! I have THREE fingers!" Hermione shrieked, staring at the _one_ finger that she had been pointing at Malfoy's chest in awe.

Malfoy shook his head.

"No, no Hermione." He sighed.

"This proves that you really _are _drunk. Look, you have FOUR fingers, not three!" He said, holding up the lone finger for Hermione to squint at.

"Oh." She shrugged, taking another huge swing from her bottle.

Malfoy suddenly froze dead still.

"What?" Hermione asked, having noticed Malfoy's change in attitude.

"Hermione, look!" He whispered weakly, pointing a shaky finger at Hermione's jacket and his set of designer's robes that had been thrown carelessly over Hermione's shoulder in desperate attempt to find the liquor bottles.

"What?" She asked again.

"T-t-t-the clothes! They've moved!" He said hoarsely.

Hermione started to laugh.

"No, no Malfoy! I'm the one who threw them there when I was looking for the…umm…how do you call it again? The Frikey Wesky right?"

"Fire Whiskey," Malfoy muttered quickly, before turning his gaze back to the pile of clothes.

"I've heard about this." He said dramatically.

"What?" Hermione asked slowly.

"They were last spotted in Africa. I forget the name. They come into your home at night, silent and subtle as cats they are, and right when your back is turned, SNATCH they've stolen your clothes for ever!" He exclaimed, eyes wide with fear.

Hermione fell to the floor clutching her side with laughter.

"And you said that_ I_ was drunk!" she managed to gasp.

"No Hermione I'm serious! They really do exist! If we're not careful we could…"

"PEANUT BUTTER!"

"WHAT?" Malfoy yelped in alarm.

"PEANUT BUTTER!" Hermione repeated, running like a mad woman over to the empty jar of peanut butter that had lay forgotten on their tiny kitchen sink from last morning's breakfast.

"MINE!" Malfoy shouted, desperately trying to catch up to Hermione but tripping over an empty bottle of alcohol half way there.

"Nuh-uh!" She exclaimed, raising the jar over her head, as Malfoy tried to grab her precious peanut butter away from her.

"Aw, come on, pretty please?" Malfoy simpered, sticking out his lower lip.

"Nope, you can have what's left." She said sternly, bringing the jar down to eye level, preparing herself for the nutty and oh-so-creamy goodness.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"WHAT?" Malfoy yelped yet again in alarm.

"N-n-n-n-n-no m-m-mo-more p-p-p-pea-peanut b-b-butter." Hermione whispered weakly, dropping the jar limply to her side before sinking down to her knees.

"No more?" Malfoy whispered, kneeling down beside Hermione and taking the empty jar in his own hands to gaze down at it sadly.

"No more." She whispered back miserably.

"I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye." She said sorrowfully, shaking her head at the prospect of never again seeing her treasured peanut butter.

Malfoy turned to her, dropping the jar to the floor.

"Yup you did! This morning, at breakfast! You had what was left on your toast." He said, taking a swing from his own bottle.

"Oh yeah!" Hermione said brightly, bouncing right back up before going over to the table and helping herself to more Fire Whiskey.

CRASH!

"Whazat?" Hermione shouted, whipping around to face whatever had just made that disturbing sound.

Malfoy was standing, completely petrified, before the trap door, which was now dripping wet with alcohol, and decorated with tiny little shards of glass.

"Why'd ya do that?" Hermione asked, stumbling her way over to meet Malfoy.

"I saw it." He whispered slowly, never taking his eyes away from the portrait.

"What it?" Hermione asked, trying to make out what Malfoy was staring at.

"_It._" Malfoy replied, now silently creeping towards the portrait.

"What _it?_" Hermione asked yet again, starting to get a bit fed up with this game.

"The thing I told you about earlier. You know, that steals clothes." He whispered back.

"Malfoy I told you already, that was me." Hermione exclaimed.

"Shh! That's what they want you to think." He said stubbornly.

Hermione rolled your eyes.

"Malfoy you're being…"

"When I say go," Malfoy interrupted, "we'll run up to my room as fast as possible and hope to ditch it."

Hermione sighed.

"Fine," she agreed reluctantly, "but if…OH MY GOD!"

They had both seen it this time. Something had moved.

"NOW!" Malfoy yelled, grabbing Hermione's wrist before making a mad sprint towards the stairs.

Too bad that they were both too drunk to realize that their terrifying monster was in fact an innocent little mouse…

"Quick!" Malfoy shouted over his shoulder, as Hermione stumbled over her own feet and fell.

"I'm coming!" She yelled back, getting back up and running over to Malfoy's bedroom door as fast as her drunken body could carry her.

"Hurry, just discard the clothes and hide under the blankets." Malfoy yelled, locking the door behind him.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Hermione yelled back, trying but failing miserably to remove her school tie.

"Here." He said, pulling the tie off in one quick motion before proceeding to his own clothes.

They both undressed as quickly as they could, threw their clothes in front of the door in hopes that the monster would leave them alone once it had captured its prey, and made a mad dash beneath the covers.

"Malfoy," a now naked Hermione whispered sleepily from underneath the covers, having realized that she was in fact very tired.

"What?" an equally unclothed Malfoy yawned back, all fear of the clothes-snatching monster quickly ebbing away from his sleep-deprived mind.

"You owe me a jar of peanut butter." Hermione said softly before falling asleep completely, just as the blond beside her did the same.

It wasn't until the painful rays of the sun crept through the ancient curtains did either of them wake up…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Robert had always been a very peaceful owl.

Every night he'd go through the same little routine: Leave for hunting, eat whatever he'd catch, come back to his favorite tree at the break of dawn and sleep.

Robert had just returned from a most pleasant little hunting trip. Not only had he caught three mice, but he had also gotten his claws on a tiny mole too.

_Finally, some rest! _Robert thought contently, landing gracefully onto his usual branch, sleep slowly overtaking his mind, promising a peaceful rest of calming hunting dreams.

But just as poor Robert was whisked off into the arms of la-la-land a blood-curdling scream, so incredibly loud he could have sworn that his great grandfather from Canada must have heard it, pierced through the tranquil morning air.

Robert hooted shrilly in surprise right before losing his balance and landing with a soft thump onto the hard ground below him.

_Stupid kids! _Robert thought furiously, staring up at the Head's common room's window just beside his tree.

_Never give it a rest do they? _

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: Wow, that chapter was long! I guess it'll kind of make up for the oh-so-long wait for it right:)**

**I really hope you liked it! I just looved writing out a drunk Hermione and Draco (I've always wanted to do that!)**

**Once more, I'd love to hear what you think! I'll even give you green M&Ms if you review! Really, I will…okay I technically have no way of doing that but I'll send you imaginary ones! They're just as good, with a little added salt that is! Really, they are! **

**I hope to update soon; it shouldn't be that long. I've already got my outline written out and ideas are just popping out of my head by the second!**

**For all you guys who have dropped me a review so far I thank you from the bottom of my heart:) I love you guys, you make my day with your sweet little reviews!  
**

**Well, ta-ta my dears! Love you all,**

**Jess :) **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Umm…hello? -ducks from multitude of objects being thrown at my head- **

**Alright, I'm really, _really _sorry for the oh-so-_long_ wait for chapter 6! Please forgive me! But hey, I have a valid excuse! **

**In one word: school.**

**I am literally drowning in homework! And I'm on the verge of proving my theory that all teachers have gotten together to torture us. I swear to goodness that it's a conspiracy! Add on dance lessons (my show's this week end AHH! Panic attack!), practices and extra school activities, plus the common high-school drama; I'm flooded!**

**But, here it is! I've done it! Plus, I've posted a little one-shot too if any of you are interested. (By the way, I got the most _amazing _reviews for that! I thank you all from the bottom of my heart! I would've never expected such great feedback! **

**-squeal!-)**

**Well, without further ado, here it is!**

**Kisses!**

**Jess :)**

**Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me. Not even one teeny, tiny, insy, minsy, _miniscule _bit…-gets all teary eyed and runs away sobbing-**

Chapter 6

_Oh God my head is killing me!_ Hermione thought sleepily, not daring to open her eyes due to the pounding headache quickly consuming her normally alert mind. She felt nauseous, her mouth tasted funny and for some strange reason, she couldn't feel her pajamas against her skin. Not to mention the killer migraine.

_ What in the world did I do last night?_ She wondered, desperately trying to remember any detail of yesterday's events. But for some reason, she found that her head was oddly blank. That was strange. Hermione's mind was usually overflowing with ideas, no matter how trivial or how vital.

Her musings were suddenly interrupted by something, or someone, stirring beside her.

Hermione's heart started to race like mad. (Completely disregarding the protests of her growing nausea.)

_ Oh no. Not this. Anything but this. Oh God, please let it not be what I think it is._

But Hermione knew that her assumptions were correct. She must have gotten drunk and slept with some guy. All evidence pointed that way.

_ How could I have been so stupid?_

She took a deep breath and slowly peeled one eye open. Everything was too fuzzy to make anything out. Gently, she opened the next eye.

Everything went into focus, and her mind went kaput.

Bleach blond hair.

That could only mean…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

THUD

"For fuck's sake woman shut your trap!"

"DRACO MALOY GET THE HELL OUT OF MY BED THIS INTANT!" Hermione screeched.

Malfoy's head popped back up from the other side of the bed.

_Thank God he fell off and all I can see is his top half…_ Hermione thought, silently praising Malfoy's unstable balance.

Malfoy curiously looked around before smirking up at Hermione.

"F.Y.I Granger, this is _my _room, not yours. So I do believe that _you're _the one who should be, and I quote, "getting the hell out of my bed."

Hermione stared around with wide eyes before looking down at her unclothed figure. (Well apart from the emerald green sheet that is).

"Umm…Malfoy?" She started weakly.

"What?" He snapped, clearly getting impatient with Hermione's apparent slowness at leaving his room.

"I…uhh…kinda can't leave." She mumbled.

"And why the hell not?" He exclaimed.

"I… kinda don't have any clothes on." Hermione muttered.

Malfoy's eyes bulged as realization hit him.

"You don't think we…we couldn't possibly have…we didn't… did we?" He said quietly, eyes growing wider by the second.

Hermione stiffened as his words hit her. The shock of waking up next to Malfoy's face, well hair actually had kind of blown the possibility of having had sex with the guy out of her mind.

But now that he mentioned it…

"NO! There is absolutely _no way _that we were _that_ drunk!" She shouted, trying but failing miserably to sound convincing.

Malfoy seemed to be in deep thought.

"I remember running up here with you, and you were yelling about something…some kind of monster or something. And then…ugh! Damn it, damn it all to hell I can't remember what happened after that!" He shouted, head flopping down onto the covers in defeat.

Hermione tried with all her might to think back to yesterday's events, but her mind was just some big fuzzy blur. She bit her lip. It was completely hopeless.

Malfoy looked up at her, his expression as desperate as Hermione's.

"We couldn't possibly have had…"

"_Don't _say it!" Hermione yelped.

Malfoy rolled his eyes before groaning out loud in frustration.

"Fuck it! For fuck's sake of all the fucking ways to wake up this is the fuckiest damn mess in the history of fucking hangovers!" He shouted.

"For fuck's sake Malfoy stop saying fuck!" Hermione screeched angrily.

Malfoy gaped at her. "But, but you just said…"

"I know what I said okay, now for once in your life will you try and think rationally!" She sighed, rubbing her temples.

"I am thinking rationally Granger and I say that it's hopeless, okay. There is no way that we're gonna remember anything considering the amount of alcohol we must have drank, judging by the hangover. Anyway, you don't have to worry your pretty little head. There is no way in hell that I was ever drunk enough to sleep with a nerdy know-it-all frizz ball like you! Kapich? Now give it up already!" He shouted.

"Fine." Hermione snapped before rapping herself up in one of the numerous emerald blankets and storming off, making sure to slam the door shut behind her.

"Granger, you get your ass back up here with my sheet!" Malfoy bellowed after her.

"Give it up already ferret!" She yelled back.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A cold shower and a couple of Aspirins later, Hermione was still positively fuming.

_The nerve of that arrogant little git! _She thought furiously, stomping her way down the plentiful staircases on her way down to the Great Hall for some well-deserved breakfast.

_I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one that actually forced the liquor down my throat! And then to insult me like that on top of it! Ugh! I could just tear that perfect shiny blond hair right off that stupid little head of his! But, I guess it's no surprise really, I mean, this IS Draco-sodding-jerk-Malfoy that we're talking about here. I wouldn't put it passed him to have actually planned this whole thing just to torture my self-conscience._ She continued to fume crossly, accidentally knocking over a shy little first year in the process of her fury.

"I'm so sorry, are you all right?" She asked worriedly, offering a hand to the trembling boy.

He smiled timidly before accepting her outstretched hand and scurrying off to breakfast.

Hermione sighed before continuing along her path.

_It doesn't really matter, I guess. I've just been thinking too much about Malfoy recently. That can't be good for my blood pressure. _

_Anyway, why in the world did I get so drunk in the first place? _She wondered, throwing the doors to the Great Hall open and walking inside to meet the deafening chatter of students and the screeching of owls.

Her eyes immediately darted over to the head of flaming red hair seated next to Harry.

The memory of yesterday morning instantly came flooding back.

Oh, _now _she remembered.

Hot anger boiled up inside her and surged through her veins. Her hair practically crackled with electricity.

_That little cheating bastard is gonna wish that he'd never been born. _Hermione seethed, preparing to set her full wrath upon that jerk.

Ron turned around a split second before Hermione exploded.

All color drained out of his face. He was as good as dead.

"YOU!" Hermione shrieked.

Everyone within Hermione's screaming radius (which is pretty much the whole hall) whipped around to face the scene. Even the teachers cut their conversations short to peer around curiously at Hermione's murderous expression.

"YOU LYING, TWO-FACED, DISHONEST, DOUBLE-DEALING, CHEATING SON OF A BITCH!" She screeched, eyes ablaze with pure fury.

"Umm…Hermione I think you should…" Harry started weakly.

"Shut it Harry!" Hermione yelled in a tone powerful enough to scare off a charging bull.

Harry instantly recoiled with an almost silent, "ok."

"HOW COULD YOU?" She shouted, whipping her face back around to face Ron's chalk white expression.

"I…I…I d-didn't th-think…"

"HELL NO YOU DIDN'T! YOU NEVER THINK YOU JERK! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" She yelled. Angry tears were beginning to well up in her eyes, but she furiously blinked them back.

"Can someone _please_ tell me what's going on?" Harry pleaded, obviously desperate to find out why in the world one of his best friends currently seemed ready to rip the other one's head off.

"Tell him _Ronald_." Hermione hissed in a dangerously low voice.

Ron's eyes grew wide with fear.

"I…I kind of…well see…I…"

"That GIT cheated on me with that…that…that…I can't even _think_ of a word to describe that back-stabber!" Hermione whispered, pointing a shaky finger over at Lavender.

Lavender looked down at her shoes, eyes glistening with tears.

"WHAT?" Harry yelped, spinning around to face Ron.

"You _cheated _on her?" He shouted, eyes narrowing to slits.

"I…I…I…" Ron was practically trembling.

POW!

Harry hit him square in the jaw.

Ron stumbled back, hand clamped over his cut lip.

"Let's go 'Mione." Harry said quietly, grabbing Hermione's elbow and steering her right out of the Great Hall, away from prying eyes.

As soon as the great wooden doors swung shut behind them, Hermione threw herself into Harry's arms and burst into tears.

They weren't tears of sadness, because for some reason she couldn't feel that her heart was broken. She was angry, shocked to her very core and abashed that her best friend would do this to her…but for some unexplainable reason…she wasn't sad.

Had she ever even truly loved Ron? When a girl usually finds her boyfriend cheating on her, shouldn't she feel completely broken? But was she? No…not really.

She _had_ been extremely upset when she found out, but upset about what exactly? That this meant that he didn't love her…or that one of her very best friends had stooped so low as to totally and completely betray her. That their friendship was now on the brink of destruction?

Had she merely accepted to be Ron's girlfriend because everyone thought they should be together? They all seemed so sure that they would make the perfect couple…

Had her feelings ever been anything more that platonic?

_This makes no sense, no sense at all. _

_I'm a complete and utter emotional wreck. _Hermione thought bitterly, and that thought alone made her cry even harder into Harry's shoulder.

"Hey now, come on 'Mione, it's all gonna be okay." Harry whispered soothingly.

Hermione didn't believe him for one second, but nodded her head mutely all the same.

"And don't you worry yourself. I'm gonna kick that guy's ass all the way to Canada." Harry said determinedly.

Hermione had to giggle.

She sniffled a bit as she pulled back from Harry's embrace and gave him a watery smile.

"If you don't mind Harry, might I suggest Japan?" She smiled.

Harry laughed.

"Ah Hermione, always the creator of great ideas!" He exclaimed.

They both chuckled quietly for a few more seconds before Hermione rolled up her sleeve to check her watch.

_8:30_

She sighed.

"Classes start in a few minutes Harry, we should get going." She said softly.

Harry checked his own watch and nodded.

"You're right. Anyway, we start in Potions. With a bit of luck, we might be able to dunk Ron's head into Crabbe's latest blunder!"

And off to class they went, laughing out loud the whole way.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Potions, along with every other class that day, was…in one word, awkward.

Ron kept on shooting puppy eyed expressions over in Hermione's direction (obviously trying in vain to be forgiven), Harry kept on glaring at Ron, Hermione kept on avoiding Ron, Ron kept on avoiding Harry and Malfoy kept on giving Hermione very strange looks indeed.

Like I said, awkward.

When Hermione finally bid Harry goodnight, after thanking him for being so supportive and a few last hugs (and another vow to murder Ron from Harry…) Hermione felt utterly and completely drained.

She blindly stumbled her way into the head's common room and collapsed onto the red, mushy couch.

She would've fallen asleep right then and there, had her mind not been so intent on keeping her awake at all costs.

Would she and Ron ever be friends again? She didn't feel like forgiving him, not one tiny little bit! But…she couldn't imagine life without Ron.

But after what he had done, would she have the heart to forgive him? Maybe she'd just have to get used to the idea of no more Ron…but no, she couldn't do that! After all, he _is_ (well _was_ anyway) her best friend!

And then there's Lavender. Hermione had always known that she was a bit of the boy crazy type…well maybe a lot. But to actually make out with a guy whom she knew perfectly well was going out with one of her good friends!

Plus, the issue of waking up next to Malfoy this morning…naked nonetheless!

_What the hell was I thinking?_

She supposed that she must have been pretty ding-dong depressed to get _that_ drunk. And she _knew_ that drinking alcohol wasn't the solution to her problems! All right, she _had_ been extremely upset, but to go off and get pissed and then sleep…maybe even more than sleep, with that ferret!

Nothing made sense to her right know.

N.O.T.H.I.N.G!

Hermione sighed.

Her emotional turmoil would have to wait until tomorrow. Right now, all she wanted to do was forget about it.

So, looking around for something to distract herself, Hermione's eyes fell upon her favorite book in the whole wide world.

_Pride and Prejudice._

She sighed happily.

If this didn't take her mind off things, nothing would!

It did work pretty well, because only after reading the first three pages, Hermione was out like a light.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Draco was feeling particularly strange this evening.

His day had started out pretty strangely to begin with actually. Waking up next to the Gryffindor princess wasn't usually a habit of his.

In his opinion, the expression waking up on the wrong side of the bed didn't even come close to representing his utterly weird morning.

And then, from what Blaise had told him anyway, Granger had stormed into the Great Hall at breakfast and practically screamed her head off at the Weasel. Apparently, not only was the guy an ass-hole, he was a cheating ass-hole to boot.

Draco sorely regretted having left for Quidditch practice before breakfast time. Weasel being screeched at and being called a son of a bitch in front of the entire school would've definitely been good entertainment.

Much better than watching Goyle getting hit in the head 36 time by a bludger and not having the common sense to fly away before he was knocked out cold anyway…

But, this tiny little bit of information permitted him to come to a very important conclusion:

Granger must've found the Weasel cheating on her, gotten drunk and he followed suit.

Only makes sense!

And well…don't ask him how they ever got naked.

That, was one little detail he preferred to forget about.

Obvious so say that he hadn't been all that successful so far.

It was only 9:30, but Draco decided to turn in anyways. He felt dead. His mind though, was still wide-awake and hyped up on coffee cup number one, two and three (he had needed some extra strength during practice.)

Slowly climbing through the portrait hole, Draco came face to face with a very peculiar sight indeed.

Granger had fallen asleep on the couch, unruly curls covering every square inch of her face, arm thrown carelessly over the edge of the blood red cushions with her hand dangling over an old copy of a tattered book that had unceremoniously been sprawled out onto the floor.

_Huh. Guess Granger was as exhausted as I am. _

Draco curiously walked over and picked up the ancient book.

_Pride and Prejudice. _

That did ring a bell…hadn't his mother read that once?

He looked over at Granger to make sure that she was still fast asleep, but with all that hair in the way it was impossible to tell.

He gently brushed the stray tendrils out of the way and almost gasped at what he saw.

Granger.

Just Granger.

No frown, no scowl, no fiery glares. Just her.

She was quite pretty actually, when she wasn't planning out a new and more painful way to murder him.

As mad as her hair was, it did kind of grow on you. A lot of girls would actually be envious of that hazel mass of ringlets.

Her facial features were sweet and plain, but kind of had and edge to them that gave her an innocent yet womanly look.

Her cheeks were tinged with a soft pink and her lips were full and ruby red.

Yes, Granger might not be as horrendous as he had believed.

He shrugged and then scowled at himself when he realized what he had actually just contemplated. He had just analyzed Granger's face and come to the conclusion that she was actually pretty.

That was _not_ normal!

He blamed it on his tiredness and the over douse of caffeine.

That had to be it.

Shrugging it off, he sat himself down on the floor and leaned back onto the side of the couch that was opposite Granger's dangling arm.

He began to read.

After all, he had nothing better to do, right?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two hours later, Draco was still entirely and completely absorbed within the book.

It was simply amazing! How could he have never read this before?

He would've probably gone on for at least a couple more hours, had he not almost had a heart attack.

You see Hermione, being the clever witch that she is, had woken up to find Draco Malfoy sitting on the floor and reading her beloved book.

And Hermione, again being the clever witch that she is, came up with the very ingenious idea to slap Draco on the head and yell, "BOO!"

Now, I am quite aware of the fact that human beings can't fly (without the aide of broomsticks that is). But, I must say, Malfoy almost proved that fact wrong, right then and there.

Draco yelped at the top of his lungs and jumped a mile high into the air before spinning around and glaring his coldest glare at Hermione, who could do nothing more than desperately clutch her stomach and roll around on the couch in a fit of giggles.

He, on the other hand, was not amused.

"Granger, if you _ever_ do that again, I swear I will kill you." He hissed through clenched teeth.

Hermione sat up and gave him a lopsided grin.

"Is that a threat?" She asked in a sickly sweet voice.

"No," He smirked.

"That's a promise."

Hermione continued to grin.

"Oooh! Now I'm terrified!" She exclaimed sarcastically.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Well you should be." He retorted, sitting himself back down before picking the book back up with a huff.

"I didn't know you liked to read." Hermione stated curiously, from somewhere above his left shoulder.

"Surprise, surprise then Granger." Malfoy muttered, already starting to read again.

"Who gave you the permission to read _my_ book anyway?" Hermione demanded coldly.

"Malfoys never ask, they take." He said simply.

Hermione scoffed.

"Well, for the love of…"

"Granger, if you don't mind, I'm trying to read." He smirked.

Hermione glared a hole into the back of that bleach blond head.

"Give me my book back, _now_." She ordered icily.

"Why should I?" Malfoy asked, smirk now even more pronounced than before.

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Because, number one it's _my_ book and number two, _I _want to read it. Now give it!" She exclaimed, trying to snatch the book away, but missing spectacularly due to Malfoy's Seeker reflexes.

_Stupid Quidditch. _

"No need to get violent my dear little know-it-all. If you want to read your precious book _so_ badly, all you have to do is come here and sit beside me and read along." He offered, his expression completely neutral. Inside he was smirking like mad. He knew perfectly well that there was no way in hell that Granger would actually come and sit beside the likes of _him._

Hermione glowered worst then ever.

_He thinks he's so smart doesn't he? Well I'll show him…_

Needless to say, Draco was quite surprised when he felt a gentle "thud" beside him and looked around to find Granger determinedly smirking back at him.

"What?" Hermione asked innocently, taking account of Malfoy's look of surprise.

"You offered didn't you?" She asked sweetly.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed, but he didn't object. Of course he wouldn't! Malfoys never back down!

So, without another word, they both started to read, feeling incredibly uncomfortable at first but soon being too immersed within the book to care.

It wasn't until the first rays of sunlight streamed through the open curtains did either of them finally fall asleep, Hermione's head slowly drooping onto Malfoy's shoulder in the process.

**A/N: Woot Woot! So…likey? I really hope that you guys all enjoyed it! ) I'd love to update soon, but it's hard to tell when I might get the chance. But, I want you guys to know that no matter how long it might take me to update, I won't give up on this! There is no way that I would ever leave you guys hanging!**

**-cough-exceptcliffies-cough-**

**Once more, I'd like to thank all my reviewers from the bottom of my heart! I love you all! -hugs everyone individually- **

**So, now you know what to do right? All you have to do is press that pretty little button below and tell me what you think! …plz? **

**Ta!**

**Jess:) **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hellooo, beautiful people! Phew! I've finally come up with chapter 7! Yowza! You cannot _believe_ how many times I've revised, reread and edited this chapter! But, here it is! All hail my cured writer's block:)**

**Well, off you go now! Come on, go and read it…you know you want to…**

**Disclaimer: People, if I _really_ were J.K and owned this marvelous creation, I would therefore know how book 7 ends, therefore I would be insane by now, and therefore would not be capable of posting this chapter, due to recent loss of sanity. Period. **

Chapter 7

_Why's my pillow so hard? _Hermione wondered lazily, slowly beginning to wake up due to her growling stomach's protests for food.

_Oh, shut up! _Hermione scolded her continuously rumbling belly. _I wanna sleep…_

After a good long yawn, Hermione concluded that there was no way that she was ever going to fall back asleep, _all thanks to mister tummy here_, so reluctantly resigned herself to opening her objecting eyes.

Shockingly blond hair instantly clouded her vision.

_Oh my God! That can only mean…wait, not **again**!_

How the hell had she managed to fall asleep next to Draco Malfoy, _yet again_?

_Two nights in a row!?! What the bloody hell is wrong with me…wait a sec…_

Hermione urgently felt around for the feel of her jeans and tank top.

_Oh, thank God! _

She silently sighed in relief, glad to find out that she hadn't accomplished the same stupid mistake twice. Waking up naked next to Malfoy wasn't something that she wanted to experience again anytime soon.

_But, _her brow scrunched up in confusion, _if I didn't get drunk or knocked out or…well, suffer any other form of unconsciousness that I can think of, why the hell do I currently have my head on Malfoy's shoulder and why the bloody hell is his arm around me?_

Her gaze suddenly fell upon the ancient book at her feet.

_Oh…right!_

Hermione sighed in relief once more, glad to know that the reason for this…strange waking position was in fact just a simple, innocent book. _Ah crap._ She suddenly realized. _Malfoy's not going to be happy about waking up next to me again. I'll have to escape if I want to retain my life._

So, as quietly as was humanly possible, Hermione slowly started the treacherous task of removing Malfoy's arm from around her waist. She would've made it… had the stupid git not decided to wrap his other arm around her just as she was about to crawl away.

_Oh, damn you Draco Malfoy! _Hermione seethed. _Now what?_

Getting out of the fatal position _now_ was going to be impossible.

Hermione sighed as she resigned herself to death. She had no other choice but to wake the sleeping dragon…_never tickle a sleeping dragon…I'm going against the very knowledgeable core of this school…just great._

Hermione gently began to prod Malfoy in the shoulder. He merely snorted. She prodded him harder: a louder snort. She dug her finger into his very flesh: he simply swatted her away like an annoying fly.

_The imbecile of a boy cannot be awoken!_

So…she hit him…hard.

"What the fu…"

THUMP!

Well that worked well.

Malfoy lay on his side, arms and legs sprawled wide out onto the floor; the very position of dignity actually.

"Granger! What the hell?" Malfoy demanded, staring up at her with wide, enraged eyes.

"Sorry, but you just wouldn't wake up!" Hermione shouted defensively.

"I just wouldn't wake…why in the name of Merlin are _you _waking me up? I have an alarm clock you know!"

Malfoy's brain still seemed to be off in la-la-land.

_He looks so cute when he's confused like that…wait…CUTE!?!_

"Granger? Are you gonna answer me?" Malfoy demanded.

Hermione shook her head to clear the disturbing thoughts.

"Well, it appears that we fell asleep together… _again_. Last night…or this morning actually, while reading Pride and Prejudice, I guess we just dozed off without noticing," Hermione explained.

"Okay," Malfoy squinted his eyes in thought, "So, if we fell asleep here together last night, and yesterday was Thursday, then today would technically be Friday. And technically, since we both fell asleep here, and there was no alarm clock here to wake us this morning and we just slept on without anyone warning us of the time…and today is Friday, a school day, then that means…"

Hermione gasped and ran into the kitchen to check the time.

"WE ARE SO SCREWED!" She shrieked.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

"This is all your fault Granger!" Malfoy shouted about five minutes later.

They had both managed to get ready in top speed (Malfoy with one sock on and Hermione with her tie askew), and were both currently in the process of running like mad-people down to the dungeons for potions, for which they were already five minutes late.

"It is not!" Hermione yelled back. "How is this any more my fault than it is yours, you idiot!"

"_Your_ bloody book is what got us in this mess!" He retorted.

Hermione scoffed…or attempted to anyway. With all of this running, it probably just sounded like an exhausted pant for air.

"_You're_ the one who was so keen on reading it, if my memory isn't deceiving me!"

"Yeah well…"

"Shut up! We're here."

They came to a sudden halt in front of their classroom's door, both waiting for the other one to enter first.

"You go first. You _are_ his favorite after all. Your head will be less prone to being ripped off than mine." Hermione whispered.

"No way in hell Granger! You go! This is all your damn fault anyway! Why should I get the blow?"

"Nuh-huh! You go!"

"No, you go!"

"I said you…"

"Ah…I thought I heard something rather… unpleasant."

Snape.

"Shit," came two simultaneous hisses.

"Yes, shit indeed." Snape growled.

The pair gulped nervously.

"Why, pray tell, are you both exactly _7 minutes late_? Is an entire morning not sufficient enough to groom yourselves?"

"Uhh…"

"Or are you both simply unnaturally daft and have to spend hours trying to distinguish your comb from your breakfast muffin."

"Er…"

"Or is there indeed a very logical explanation to this whole misunderstanding, that I am sure will clarify this entire mess?" Snape questioned.

"There is!" Hermione was quick to exclaim.

"Well," Snape said, "carry on then Miss Granger."

"Umm…"

_Crap! Damn you Hermione Granger and that big mouth of yours! I thought you were supposed to be clever you dimwit!_

Snape was beginning to smirk victoriously and Hermione was _seriously_ beginning to panic.

"W-well, you see…I…umm…"

"Head duties!" Malfoy suddenly exclaimed.

Hermione stared at him with wide eyes.

_Of course, you idiot! Why in the world didn't you think of that?_

Hermione tried to smile convincingly and nod at Snape, all the while suppressing a burning urge to slap herself.

Snape cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh, really?" He questioned smoothly.

"Yup!" Malfoy said.

"Top secret thought, so we can't give you any details." Hermione added.

Snape glowered.

"You had top secret head duties, now did you?" He asked.

They both nodded furiously.

"Well then, I'll just have to check this out with Professor McGonagal, now won't I?"

Hermione blanched.

"Is there…a problem with that, perhaps?" He smirked.

"N-no, Professor." Malfoy gulped.

"Well then take your seats already! I do have a class to teach." He sneered, the triumphant gleam apparent in his eyes.

Hermione shakily went over to her desk, all the while muttering a quiet mantra of, "shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…"

"Ms.Granger." Snape called.

"Yes Professor?" Hermione replied.

"If you're suffering from the unfortunate syndromes of constipation, I do have a potion that will help you, you know." He leered.

Hermione shook her head and silently took her place, this time mumbling her chant _inside_ of her head instead.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why were you late this morning Hermione?" Harry asked an hour later as they were both heading off to Transfiguration.

Hermione hesitated. Harry would see right through her if she fed him that cock and bull story about top-secret head duties.

"I…my alarm clock didn't go off." Hermione lied.

"On the exact same morning as Malfoy's?" Harry questioned, eyebrow disappearing beneath his raven hairline.

"Why in the world would know what happened to Malfoy, Harry?" Hermione exclaimed, quickly shifting her guilty eyes to stare at the floor.

Harry didn't seem to notice though, for he merely shrugged before opting to begin a long rant about their upcoming Quidditch match.

Hermione sighed gratefully before completely zoning out, only nodding once in a while between Harry's intakes of breath.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_This certainly puts the concept of being bored into a whole new perspective. _Hermione surprisingly realized halfway through their never-ending Transfiguration class.

Today's lesson was totally useless as they were basically revising every single spell they had learned last year, (which, Hermione had, obviously, already mastered perfectly.)

_I can literally feel my brain melting away into nothingness. All those poor brain cells are now nothing more than a huge pool of stupid ness inside a vat of total boredom. _She sighed.

Looking around, Hermione confirmed that she wasn't the only one whose brain was on the brink of evaporation.

Three quarters of the class had the appearance of zombies and the other quarter (those who were fortunate enough to be seated at the back of the classroom, hidden from view) were now full out snoring.

Hermione's eyes fell upon Malfoy. She had to repress a snort.

His arm was propped up against his elbow and his head was delicately resting onto his hand. He appeared to be fast asleep, actually.

But…technical problem: if you're sleeping while your head is rested upon a propped up arm, the head in question does tend to slip down, you see. And, since you are beyond consciousness, your only option is to mainly let your head slip down until it reaches a violent stop… namely, a desk.

That was poor Malfoy's fate.

Hermione watched on in panic as his blond head began to slide down…and down…and down…and…

BANG!

"SON OF A FUCKING DAMN BITCH!" Malfoy yelped as his head finally made painful contact with its target.

The entire class jerked out of its trance and stared in alarm at the terrified Slytherin.

Malfoy only had eyes for McGonagall's murderous expression.

"Mister Malfoy, what in the name of Merlin is wrong with you?" She shrieked.

"I hit my head." He replied innocently.

The Gryffindors exchanged smirks.

"And in your opinion, is that a valid reason to begin shouting vulgar inanities in _my_ classroom?" McGonagall growled.

"No Professor." Malfoy gulped.

"And what, pray tell, were you doing smashing your head onto a rock hard desk in the first place?" She demanded.

The students began to snicker. Malfoy glared defiantly at them.

"I didn't just _smash_ my head!" He exclaimed hotly, very mush restraining himself from adding, 'you moron!'

"Then enlighten me." McGonagall glared.

"I fell asleep." He responded simply.

McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"You fell asleep during _my_ lesson now did you?" She asked.

"Yes." Malfoy retorted bluntly.

"Detention." McGonagall exclaimed shrilly. "And don't you even dare argue." She added, upon seeing Malfoy's revolted expression.

Hermione suddenly remembered an important detail.

"But Professor, Malfoy already has detention tonight." She said.

"No, he doesn't." MeGonagall replied shortly.

"Yes, he does. Remember, you found us both 'dueling' in the Head's compartment last Monday and you gave us both a week's worth detention!" Hermione persisted.

"Miss Granger, must you always argue with me?" McGonagall snapped. She did usually very much like Hermione, but her temper was quite short as of the moment.

"Fine, just pointing out the bloody obvious." Hermione muttered under her breath.

Unfortuanly for her, McGonagall caught her silent retort.

"Detention for you too Miss Granger. And, to save you the trouble of arguing, I'll just turn that into double detention, since you insist that you were already condemned tonight." McGonagall snapped.

Hermione simply glared at her fingernails.

"Now, let's return to our lesson before someone else falls off their chair or decides to jump out a window " McGonagall snipped.

Hermione sighed as she looked around the classroom.

She caught Harry's eye. He gave her a compassionate smile. She returned it only half heartily.

Ron was also staring at her, but quickly refocused his gaze onto his quill, as Hermione shot him a death glare.

She sighed as she resigned herself to self-pity for the last ten minutes of class time, until she heard someone hiss, "Granger."

She groaned as she recognized his voice.

"What do you want?" She mouthed angrily at a smirking Malfoy.

"Thanks for giving me company tonight." He winked.

"Piss off." She sneered.

He gave her the finger.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: I know, I know! Pretty short and pretty boring, huh? I just had to get this chapter out in order for the next one to make sense. So…yeah…next one should be a lot more exciting, I promise!**

**Also, I assure you that this will be a Hermione/Draco romance fic, it's just that with this pairing, you can't suddenly make them fall in love. That's why the good stuff's taking a while to come along! So, bear with me, and I still hope that you enjoyed this in the meantime my darlings!**

**Well, thanks for reading! Hope that you all likey!!**

**Now…you are getting _very, very_ sleepy. Your eyelids are slowing drooping shut. You want to leave me a review… REVIEW! REVIEW! MWAHAHAHA! ;) **

**Jess :) **

**P.S: The next chapter ladies and gents will include: detentions, confrontations, more mixed feelings for poor Hermione and even more detentions! Woot! **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Bonjour mes amis! Yay! I've finally posted another chapter! I think that deserves a bit of applause, right? -_crickets chirp_- No? Not even a bit? Ah well…one can only hope!**

**Well, enjoy my darlings!**

**Jess:)**

**Disclaimer: Not mine…not very original but I'm tired. Don't judge me.**

**Chapter 8**

_I want to kill Draco-bloody-Malfoy! _Hermione fumed.

That had basically been her train of thought since the end of Transfiguration class. Not only had the git landed her in detention, yet _again_, but he had also succeeded in starting this stupid rumor on how Hermione had become this disrespecting little rebel over the summer and had actually screeched at McGonagall to go, to quote Parvati's words, shove a damn stick up her ass.

_Honestly!_

One can truly see just how high Parvati's IQ level really is, considering that the nitwit in question was _in_ the classroom at the time of the little mishap. Perhaps she was just pissed at Hermione for having called her best friend a backstabber in front of the whole school…

Either way, Parvati's miniscule intellect wasn't the most pressing matter at hand.

Her dinner was.

Hermione was currently in the process of having a glaring contest with a piece of chicken, who would in fact be trembling with fear by now considering the intensity of her glares. But, fortunately, chickens can't tremble. Well, dead and roasted ones can't anyway.

"Hermione, why are you so mad at your plate of chicken?" Harry asked, having noticed her peculiar look.

"I'm imagining that it's Malfoy's stupid smirking face." Hermione stated, stabbing the meal with her fork as an afterthought.

Harry nodded understandingly.

"Look, I'm sure it won't be _that_ bad!" He said consolingly.

Hermione sighed before throwing her fork down onto the table and rising from her seat.

"I have double detention with Malfoy, Harry! Of course it won't be bad! It'll be _pure Hell!_" She said, before waving her hand in an I'm-off-to-die-now kind of fashion and heading off to McGonagall's office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When she got there however, pure Hell hadn't arrived yet.

She shook her head at his at lack of punctuality before going over to McGonagall's desk, fully expecting the worst.

"Um, Professor, I was just wondering what are task was going to be for tonight and the rest of the week." Hermione started hesitantly.

McGonagall looked up from a stack of papers she had been grading. Glancing down, Hermione noticed that the paper on top of the pile had in fact received a big, red D. She began to feel a bit of pity for the poor bloke, until she saw the name 'Ronald Weasley' scribbled messily at the top.

_Hah!_ She beamed happily. _Looks like the jerk isn't doing all that well anymore without my help now, is he? I suspect Lavender isn't quite as useful in the homework department as I was. Serves the git right!_

McGonagall frowned at Hermione's sudden look of happiness, but decided to simply shrug before stashing her essays away inside on of her desk drawers.

"Well Miss Granger, I thought it might be a good idea for the two of you to clean out my personal library. It's been unorganized for ages! All I ask of you is to store my books away in alphabetical order. It's dull work, but to my knowledge, detentions are rarely pleasurable, correct?" She said firmly.

"Yes, Professor." Hermione nodded.

"Where is that Malfoy kid, anyway?" McGonagal exclaimed, glimpsing at the ancient clock mounted over her crackling fireplace.

"I don't know Professor." Hermione shrugged.

"He's probably la…"

But Hermione's accusation was cut short as Malfoy suddenly came stomping into the room.

"Ah, Mister Mafloy! So glad you could grace us with your presence." McGonagal snapped.

"No trouble Professor!" Malfoy smirked.

McGonagal gave him a disapproving look before pointing at the large door on the right side of her office.

"Detention will be served in there. I won't be letting you out for another four hours, so don't even try to escape. Believe me, I will know if you try anything funny." She snapped.

The pair nodded dully, not quite anticipating the night's work.

McGonagal gave them a last sharp glare before striding out of her office and sealing the door shut behind her.

Hermione gave Malfoy a wary glance before sighing heavily.

_Let the fun begin!_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Three hour later, and still no sign of functioning vocal cords! _Hermione mused.

Sorting a million library books in alphabetical order had turned out to be pretty dull work.

Plus, it had been exactly one hour, and neither her nor Malfoy had said a single word.

Hermione, quite understandably, simply didn't feel like talking to the imbecile. Malfoy's reasons for keeping quiet, however, were still a mystery to her. Usually, he didn't miss a chance to annoy the shit out of her!

_So what's up with the silent treatment? _She wondered.

Hermione shrugged as she picked up yet another book to sort.

_Jinks for Jokes; Terrorize Your Fellow Comrades!_

That would go under 'J'…

_How to Recognize and Repel the Unforgivable Three_

That would be 'H'...

_Hogwarts a History_

Another 'H'…

_Heaps and Heaps of Hurtful Hexes_

_Another…ah, crap!_

An unpleasant thought had suddenly occurred to Hermione; she still hadn't apologized for hexing Malfoy the other day.

_Catching your boyfriend cheating on you does tend to drive such facts out of the mind._ She thought unhappily.

So, very much anticipating the worst, Hermione sighed and tapped the jerk's shoulder to get his attention.

Malfoy seemed very surprised at the act, for some unknown reason.

"What?" He inquired, raising a fine blond eyebrow to punctuate his irritation.

Hermione took a deep breath and gulped, most likely swallowing her pride.

"I just wanted to apologies for hexing you on the train the other day." She stated simply, before whipping around to get back to her sorting.

Malfoy, unfortunately, was not convinced.

"Why the Hell would you do that?" He exclaimed, obviously very much confused.

Hermione sighed as she turned back around to justify herself.

"Because, I'm a civilized and decent person (Malfoy snorted at this, but Hermione chose to ignore him), and I can recognize that I acted out of line. You may have been a total ass-hole, and I'm positive that any other person would've been proud of the pain they had inflicted upon you, but I'm different. I can see that my actions were rash, and although they were completely justified, I for one am against violence and what I did certainly promoted it. Therefore, I think that you are entitled to an apology on my behalf." Hermione stated simply.

Malfoy seemed slightly taken aback, but quickly recovered.

"Well, apology not accepted, Granger." He smirked.

Hermione rolled her eyes before turning around and setting back to work on storing more books. He was obviously just trying to piss her off. She had done what she had set off to do, and she certainly wasn't going to _beg_ for him to accept her excuses. In her opinion, her conscience was totally clear.

Another ten minutes passed before Hermione felt a slight tap on her shoulder.

"Yes?" She questioned, spinning around to face the unpleasant sight before her eyes.

All right, maybe not _completely _unpleasant.

"I just wanted to clear a few things up between the two of us." Malfoy stated, eyes hard and cold.

"_Okaaaay_…" Hermione said skeptically.

"Number one," Malfoy started, "What happened the other night, the other morning and this morning as well stays between us. That includes us getting drunk, falling asleep naked together, and us falling asleep together last night yet again. Got it?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Why in the name of Merlin would I _ever_ tell another living soul about those disasters, pray tell?" She sighed.

Malfoy shrugged.

"I dunno. You _are_ but a gigantic ball of monstrous frizz, and everyone knows that repulsive hair doesn't exactly spout streams of wisdom." He smirked.

"That's like the worst insult I've ever heard in my entire life." Hermione giggled.

"Well, I'm running low, okay?" Malfoy said shortly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione grinned.

"I assure you that it's nothing of importance." He said simply, although Hermione noticed the tiny shake in his voice.

"Fine, I won't mention a thing." She said.

Malfoy nodded approvingly.

"Number two," he continued, "you will not breath a word to anyone about my…singing capabilities." He said with a cringe.

Hermione's eyes widened. She had completely forgotten about that too.

She stared up at Malfoy's stern but somewhat pleading look.

_Oh, this is gonna be fun! _She thought happily.

"Oh, I don't know about that," she began slowly, a teasing smirk quickly appearing onto her playful face, "I've discovered one of Mighty Malfoy's deep, dark secrets. How could keeping quiet about it ever be to my advantage?" She inquired mischievously.

Malfoy's expression began to grow dark and angry.

"Don't think for a second that I don't posses ways to keep that damn mouth of yours shut, Granger." He sneered.

Hermione coolly raised an eyebrow and gave him a disbelieving look.

"Somehow, I very much doubt that my furry little ferret." She simpered mockingly.

"Oh, really." He whispered through gritted teeth.

"Really." Hermione declared.

"It is actually my belief that you're in fact going a little bit soft around the edges." Hermione smirked.

Malfoy's eyes darkened.

"You think so?" He spat.

Hermione smiled cruelly.

"I do think so." She carried on. "I mean, nobody that I know of would've sung a sweet, innocent song like that if they were in fact pure evil. And why else would you've tried to comfort me when I caught Ron cheating?" She inquired stealthily.

Malfoy scoffed at this.

"I wasn't trying to comfort you, you damn idiot, I got you hammered!" He shouted.

"But," Hermione protested, "the only reason you did it _was_ to cheer me up. I do remember what you told me before getting the liquor bottles, Malfoy." Hermione said sneakily.

"Fuck." Malfoy cursed under his breath.

"Furthermore," She proceeded, "you said so yourself that you had stopped calling me Mudblood for a reason." She finished with a smirk.

Malfoy seemed to crack at that point.

"Listen here Granger," he hissed, taking a menacing step forward, "just because I don't believe in my father's fucked up blood system doesn't mean that I'm a bloody

Saint like Potter."

He took another step forward, which caused Hermione to back up against the wall and her eyes to widen in panic.

On normal circumstances, Malfoy never scared her, but he seriously seemed ready to kill at the moment. His face had gone chalk white and he was practically trembling with rage. And his eyes… God, his eyes! She had never seen them this dark with fury.

"I am _not_ a good guy." He spat vituperatively, advancing even more.

Hermione was now entirely pinned against the wall. Every inch of Malfoy was pressed up flush against her. She could even feel the heat radiating off of him…

Malfoy looked hard into her terrified eyes.

"I am evil, get that through that thick head of yours before I blow it open and fucking force it in." He whispered venomously.

Hermione tried to nod, but seemed to have been paralyzed with fear.

She couldn't stop staring into his eyes…his deeply intense eyes that held enormous amounts of anger, panic and…self-doubt?

As she was staring into his silvery orbs, she had subconsciously leaned even closer towards him.

She could suddenly feel his breath wisp against her skin.

Her eyes shot up to meet his gaze just as his own made a dart towards her lips.

Hermione gave a quiet gasp as he started to lean in even more.

Their eyes locked, her breath hitched inside her throat and …

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

"I'm unlocking the door now. You're free to go you two!" McGonagall shouted sternly from the other side of the door.

Malfoy quickly jerked away, an expression of terror on his face.

Hermione's brain was whirring with confusion.

She looked at Malfoy questioningly but he just shook his head before giving her a blank look.

"Not a word, Granger." He whispered coldly, before whipping around and wrenching the door open and slamming it shut behind him.

Hermione slid down the length of the wall and landed with a soft thump onto the cold stone floor.

_Well…that was certainly interesting…_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A.N: Heehee! Torture…**


End file.
